Foster’s Blog: Sitting Next To The Enemy

PITTSBURGH - JUNE 04: Darren McCarty #25 of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in game six of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Mellon Arena on June 4, 2008 in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania. The Red Wings defeated the Penguins 3-2 to win the Stanley Cup Finals 4 games to 2. (Photo by A. J. Messier/Getty Images)

(File Photo by A. J. Messier/Getty Images)

Today I will do my radio show on 971 FM The Ticket with former Red Wing Darren McCarty. And one of the things I want to ask him is what will it is like for him to do a signing in the same building with former Colorado Avs antagonist Claude Lemieux?

Lemieux is one of the most hated men in Detroit. McCarty pummeled this guy in one of the most famous fights in Detroit history and it is a battle that helped spur the Red Wings to the 1997 Stanley Cup. Of all the sports figures in the history of sports, only two people could never play in Detroit.

One is Ron Artest who started the Palace brawl. The other is Lemieux who rearranged Kris Draper’s face during a vicious hit in the 1996 Western Conference Finals and still today shows no remorse. I talked to Lemieux along with two other reporters after the hit while he lay on a training table. He said he did not care about Draper’s health and that it would not haunt him.
Here is what he told Eric Lacy of the Detroit News a few days ago.

“Let’s not mix the two,” he said. “You asked me about the signing, and I’m happy to do it. No, I haven’t talked to (Draper), and that’s it.”

Lemieux was defiant and was like the boxer Drago in the movie Rocky: “If he dies he dies.”
McCarty and Lemieux will sign autographs together from 2-4 p.m. at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Mt. Clemens (2-4 p.m.) and it will just seem odd.

How will fans approach this? Do you just walk up to the guy and ask for an autograph, smile and take a photo with him? It is not only an uncomfortable setting for McCarty but it is strange for fans.

The photo of McCarty and Lemieux fighting will be the most signed item there. I know it is a historical photo and it is an item sports memorabilia people will want.
But I saw Draper’s face that night. I talked to Lemieux. And I want nothing to do with it.
(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. You can follow him on twitter at TerryFoster971.)

One Comment

I can’t agree with you more, Terry. Why is this even happening…Charity??? hopefully?? Hopefully these two are not in a situation where they need the money. If so, I understand you must feed your family, however i hope, truly hope that is not the case. Darren….still a huge fan of yours and good luck in all you do.

Agreeing with Greg here, can;t really think of many people in the Detroit area that would want an autograph from Lemieux, unless it was a picture of him doing the turtle and Darren had signed it as well. And in that case, would he even be willing to sign it? We think of them as athletes first, but he’s also a person, and that has to be one of the most embarassing moments of his life.

I really wanted to develop a small remark to say thanks to detroit.cbslocal.com for some of the amazing recommendations you are writing at this website. My considerable internet look up has at the end been recognized with brilliant suggestions to exchange with my guests. I would assert that we site visitors actually are quite lucky to exist in a wonderful community with so many outstanding people with very beneficial principles. I feel very much fortunate to have used your entire webpage and look forward to many more brilliant times reading here. Thanks once again for all the details.